Daijiworld Media Network - Margao

Margao, Dec 12: The State Election Commission (SEC) has finalised the candidate list for Goa’s upcoming Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections, with 226 candidates set to contest across the state’s 50 constituencies. The final list was released on Thursday following the deadline for withdrawal of nominations, marking a significant drop from the 320 valid nominations cleared during scrutiny on Wednesday. Of the 327 original nominations, seven were found invalid.

In North Goa, 111 candidates will vie for 25 ZP seats, while South Goa has 115 candidates contesting for its 25 constituencies. The scrutiny process was conducted by the returning officers, after which candidates had until Thursday to withdraw.

The elections are expected to witness fierce competition, with major political parties fielding candidates across several constituencies. Independent candidates have also entered the fray in multiple areas.

Voting is scheduled for December 20, with counting of votes on December 22. A total of 8,68,637 voters—comprising 4,20,431 males and 4,48,201 females—will exercise their franchise.

The ZP elections are seen as a key political battle ahead of the 2027 state assembly elections, setting the stage for parties to consolidate their grassroots presence.